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Clemson Football: ACC Coastal Scenarios heading into Week 12

By Shawn Spencer

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - NOVEMBER 02: Kenny Pickett #8 of the Pittsburgh Panthers scrambles in the first half during a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Scott Stadium on November 2, 2018 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - NOVEMBER 02: Kenny Pickett #8 of the Pittsburgh Panthers scrambles in the first half during a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Scott Stadium on November 2, 2018 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /
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Clemson football clinched the ACC Atlantic with a win over Boston College. Who could the Tigers potentially face in the conference championship game?

The Clemson football team improved to 10-0 on the season and clinched the ACC Atlantic Division with a win over Boston College Saturday night.

The Tigers have clearly been the best team in the ACC all year and it’s not even close.

Honestly, the conference outside of Clemson has been atrocious. There are a few teams- Syracuse and Boston College- that deserve top-25 rankings, but the majority just haven’t been good.

So, who could the Tigers potentially face in the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte here in a couple of weeks? Let’s take a look at the ACC Coastal Division scenarios and standings.

ACC Coastal Division Standings:

*Team (Conference Record)*

  1. Pittsburgh (5-1)
  2. Virginia (4-2)
  3. Georgia Tech (4-3)
  4. Virginia Tech (3-3)
  5. Duke (3-3)
  6. Miami (2-4)
  7. UNC (1-6)

Basically, if Pittsburgh wins one of its last two conference games- at Wake Forest, at Miami- it wins the coastal.

The Panthers have the tiebreaker over Virginia and Virginia Tech and seemingly would have to have a complete meltdown to lose both of these games. Miami hasn’t been very good this season and Wake Forest (2-4 in conference) hasn’t been able to stop anybody defensively.

If Pitt was to lose both of those, though, there would be a shot that Virginia could get back in the race. Georgia Tech, who is third in the conference, has no route to the ACC Championship game and neither does Virginia Tech. The best the Yellow Jackets could hope for would be to win the last remaining conference game- against Virginia- but then Pitt would hold the tiebreaker even if the Panthers lost their last remaining two.

Interesting Scenarios

Virginia and Virginia Tech play to close the season. If the Hokies were to win both of their remaining games, Virginia was to win the game against Georgia Tech but lose to Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh was to lose the final two, we would have a three-way tie between 5-3 teams (VT, UVA and Pitt).

Virginia Tech, in that scenario, would hold the tiebreaker over Virginia. Pitt would hold the tiebreaker, however, over both Virginia and Virginia Tech, giving the nod to the Panthers.

The only scenario in which Pitt could lose the coastal would be if the Panthers lost their two remaining games and Virginia won its remaining two (at Georgia Tech, at Virginia Tech). Then the Cavaliers would represent the coastal with a 6-2 record.

Next. Clemson's smothering defense is leading championship run. dark

It’s Pitt’s division to lose

Basically, if we don’t see Pittsburgh in the ACC Championship game, it’s because the Panthers completely choked it away. They’ve won the games they are supposed to and I believe we’ll see Pitt clinch the coastal this weekend in the matchup with Wake Forest.

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